Depilatory method and apparatus



-.1. A. BYRNE DEPILATORY METHOD AND APPARATUS Filed July 7, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Wm. M, was. J, A. BY NE zwzmm DEPILATORY METHOD AND APPARATUS Filed July 7, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 m WW J. A. BYRN'E 2,024,624

DEPILATORY METHOD" AND APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jilly 7, 1952 2, 125. V J. A. BYRNE 2,024,622

DEPILATORY METHOD AND APPARATUS Filed Ju1y 7, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Dec. 17, 1935 UNITED STATES DEPILATORY METHOD AND APPARATUS John A. Byrne, Milton, Mass, assignor to Gloria System, Inc., St. Albans, Maine, a corporation of Maine Application July 7, 1932, Serial No. 621,285

2 Claims. (01. 174-177) This invention relates to a novel method of destroying existing hairs and preventing their future growth, and to a novel apparatus for use in practicing the method, and has generally in view to provide a hair and hair growth destroying method and apparatus, the former of which may be practiced rapidly and easily substantially without pain to the'patient, and the latter of which is of relatively simple, inexpensive and durable construction and which, at the same time, is thoroughly reliable and efiicient in use.

Hairs extend through individual tubes in the skin known as follicle, and at their inner or root endshave tenacles, known as papilla, which .15 extend into the sensitive skin structure and which serve to gather the necessary nutriment to sustain the growth of the hairs. Thus, in order to effectively destroy the growth of a hair it obviously is necessary to destroy, its papilla. Accordingly, a special object of the invention is to provide a novel method and apparatus whereby this may be accomplished in a positive and expeditious manner. 7

In accordance with the invention, hair papilla is destroyed by the chemical action of skin secretions resulting from subjecting said secretions to the action of an electric current, and in this connection another object of the invention is to provide, as part of the apparatus, a special electrode needle for insertion into the hair follicle in order that the electrical discharge may be caused to take place at the most effective point; viz., at the root of the hair where the papilla extend therefrom. Another object of the invention is to provide a simple, compact apparatus by means of which ordinary lighting current may be employed to furnish the necessary small current for practicing the method, and to provide for increasing or decreasing the value of the small current within practicable limits to obtain the best results in particular instances.

With the foregoing and other objects in view,

which will become more fully apparent as the 4 nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel method and in the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of elements in the apparatus, as will be hereinafter more fully described, illus- 50 trated in the accompanying drawings and defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings, wherein like characters of reference denote corresponding parts in the different views:.-

55 Figure 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus constructed in accordance with one practical embodiment of the invention for use in practicing the method.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the apparatus; and

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view illustrating 5 the manner of using the apparatus.

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the circuits involved.

Referring to the drawings in detail, it will be observed that the complete apparatus is ar- 10 ranged compactly within a carrying case A of suitable size and shape having a hinged lid A which, when opened, as shown in Fig. 1, exposes the apparatus for use.

The apparatus comprises two separate units, 15 one for the use of D. C. current and the other for. the use of A. 0. current in practicing the method, and, as best shown in Fig. 2, these units, designated generally as U, U, respectively, are mainly contained within a common protective 20 housing 3 disposed within the case A, said housing B being of somewhat less length than the case A to provide compartments a, a between the ends of the case and the housing. Within the lid A may be provided one or more 25 compartments a to contain instruments or other paraphernalia.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, it will be observed that the D. C. current unit of the apparatus comprises a suitably constructed re- 3 sistance coil iii, a plug socket II, preferably of the polarized type, a socket l2 for a pilot lamp I3, a milliammeter I4, a rheostat switch inclusive of spaced contacts I5 and a cooperating switch arm I6, and pairs of outlet plug sockets 35 ii, I? and I8, I8 the current flow to which is under the control of the rheostat switch.

The resistance coil I0 is suitably mounted within the housing B and'said housing also contains the various wires or connections between 40 the aforesaid elements of the D. C. current unit.

On the other hand, the plug and lamp sockets I I, I2, the outlet sockets II, I8, the milliammeter i4 and the switch arm it either are mounted on or exposed through the top of the housing B for convenient use. Obviously the switch contacts I5 may be disposed either beneath or above the top of the housing 13.

Conductors l8 and 2!] connect the terminals of the plug socket H with the ends of the resistance coil in whereby a current of suitable small value'is obtained when said plug socket is connected, as, for example, by means of an extension cord, with an ordinary lighting current outlet fixture, and the lamp socket I2. is placed in one of said conductors so that an associated lamp serves when lighted to indicate a closed condition of the circuit.

The contacts l5 are connected with the coil It at points suitably spaced along the length thereof and suitable connections are provided between the switch arm I6, and the outlet plug sockets l7, l8 and the milliammeter I4, whereby said outlet plug sockets and the milliammeter are included in the small value current circuit under *the control of the regulating switch |5|6. Thus, the value of the current flow to the outlet plug sockets l1, l8 may be varied within predetermined limits, and for any adjustment of the switch arm relative to the contacts IS the value of the current is indicated by the milliammeter I4.

The outlet plug sockets l1, l1 and |8, |8 provide for including electrode devices 2|, 22 in circuit with the variable low value current, inasmuch as said electrode devices are provided with extension cords 23 having plugs for insertion into said plug sockets.

The electrode device 2| is of any suitable construction to complete a circuit through the body of a patient by being held in the hand of the patient or in any other suitable manner. On the other hand, the electrode device 22 is in the form of a special needle removably carried by a suitable holder 24, said needle being of relatively small diameter for insertion into the hair follicle and preferably having a small ball point to avoid injury to the follicle when inserted therein.

The manner of using the apparatus is illustrated in Fig. 3, from which figure it will be observed that the electrode device 2| is held in the hand of the patient and that the needle electrode 22 is inserted within a follicle 1. By means I of the switch arm it the small value current is 40 trodes while the compartment a adjacent to the D. C. current unit is provided to accommodate the electrodes when they are not in use.

While'neither the pilot lamp |3 nor the milliammeter I4 is essential the former preferably is provided to afford a clear visual indication of a closed circuit condition through the coil I and the latter preferably is provided to afford an accurate indication of the value of the current flow to the electrodes 2|, 22 for any given adjustment of the switch arm |6.

Referring now to the A. C. current unit U of the apparatus, it will be observed that this unit is quite similar to the D. C. current unit and includes a resistance coil i0, a plug receptacle II, a socket l2 for a pilot lamp l3, a milliammeter I4, a rheostat switch inclusive of spaced contacts l5 and a cooperating switch arm l6, and pairs of outlet plug sockets l1, l1 and I8, l8, respectively. In addition, said unit includes a transformer 26 and a socket 21 for arectifier. tube 28.

As in the case of the various housed and ex posed parts of the D. C. current unit, the corresponding parts of the A. 0. current unit are housed and exposed, respectively, and their general arrangement is or may be approximately the same as the arrangement of the D. C. current unit parts. However, in this connection a special feature of the apparatus resides in the mounting of the rectifier socket 2'! on a base 29 which is hinged to the bottom of the case A within the second of the aforesaid compartments 0; so that said socket, with a rectifier tube therein, may be swung either to an upright operative position, as illustrated by full lines in Fig. 1, or to a collapsed or inoperative position as illustrated by dotted lines in said figure, a suitable support 30 preferably being provided within said compartment a to accommodate the rectifier tube and to hold the same against undesirable movement when it is swung to a collapsed or out ofthe way position.

Without describing in detail the various connections between the mechanical elements of the A. C. current unit, which connections are or may be conventional, it may be stated that the trans- V former and the rectifier tube operate, respectively, to reduce the value. of ordinary A. C. lighting current and to change the same to D. 0. current for supply to the coil l0, and that, as regards the supply of low value D. C. currentto the outlet plug sockets Hi, this is or may be the same as described in connection with the D. C. unit U; also, that the method of using the A. C..unit of the apparatus is or may be the same as described in connection with the D. C. unit, in which connection the preferred practice is to employinitially a current of very small value and to gradually increase its value until the desired destructive chemical action has been produced.

Without further description it is thought that the features and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and it will of course be understood that changes, in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:-

1. A portable depilatory apparatus comprising in combination, a casing, a panel for the casing, a rheostat device mounted on the panel and including a plurality of fixed contacts and a movable center contact and also having sockets, adapted to receive the. terminals of electrode devices, a milliammeter mounted on the panel 5 and having circuit connections respectively with the center contact of the rheostat and both of the electrode sockets, a resistance coil beneath the panel and having a plurality of lead-off wires 4 connecting with the fixed contacts of the rheostat device whereby current from the. coil will pass from thefixed contacts through the movable contact and hence through the milliammeter to the electrode sockets, a plug receptacle on the panel for receiving connection with an alternating current line, a rectifier tube hingedly mounted at one side of the panel and having flexible circuit connections with the plug receptacle, a transformer beneath the panel and having electrical connections with the plug receptacle and rectifier tube, said transformer also having output connections with .the coil, and a pilot receptacle mounted on the panel .and electrically connected in parallelwith oneof; the leads from the transformer to the plug receptacle 76 and with one of the output leads from the transformer to the coil.

2. A portable apparatus for use in destroying hair and hair growth comprising a casing closed at its front and back and at its bottom and ends and having a hinged cover, a housing within said casing containing electrical depilatory apparatus, said housing being spaced at one end at least from the adjacent end of the casing to pro- 10 vide a compartment, a current rectifier tube constituting part of the electrical apparatus, and a hinged support for mounting said rectifier tube for swinging movement between an operative upright position and an inoperative substantially horizontal position and a support provided within said compartment to receive the tube and to hold the same against movement when the tube is in a folded inoperative position. 

